Q: I actually do have one question – I am beginning my XC race season this Sunday. How do I fit in my DB Combos Program workouts in the gym with my riding? Right now I am planning on doing 3 workouts in the gym on Monday, Wednesday and Friday and getting time on the bike on Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday & Sunday. On race weeks I will cut that down to 2 workouts in the gym Monday and Wednesday and two easy rides Tuesday and Thursday and race on the weekend. Do you think this is to much and will cause over training?
A: More is not better, better is better. You need some recovery in your training week. Your race week sounds good and I’d base your training week on something similar. If you are going to ride hard on both Saturday and Sunday then stick with two easy rides during the week. If you are only going hard on one weekend day then you could probably do a harder training ride during the week.
Results come from training plus recovery. You have to be just as aggressive with your recovery as you are with your training if you are wanting the best results. Don’t overdo it – the trick is not to figure out how much you can survive but instead how little you can do and see the best results. You have to be ready to take a day off if you’re feeling tired and burnt out.
You should still prioritize the DB Combos Program because it will give you the biggest bang for your time investment. Because it addresses areas that are probably a glaring weakness you’ll see fast and noticeable results from improving on it. Hope this helps…
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Q: I’ve been told that trail riding can help with my DH endurance. I’ve bought an XC bike and plan doing some 4+ hour rides to help me with my DH racing. After reading your blog I’m not so sure – do I need to go on long trail rides?
I also ride flat pedals when riding DH, should I use them on my trail rides? I was thinking about switching to clipless pedals on my XC bike.
A: Trail riding can help with DH endurance but Read more…
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Rider Q & A
Hi James,
I am just about to move from phase 1 to phase 2 in the UMWP. When I move from the last week of phase 1 to the first week of phase 2 I am unsure of how much I should be dropping my weight load down to. For example in phase 1 for the straight leg dead lift the load progression I used was 80, 90, 100, 110 through the 4 weeks. So for the first week of phase 2 what load would you recommend I start at?
Also I have noticed that when some of the people in the gym are lifting heavy loads they work their way up to the highest load in their workout. So for the first set of reps they will lift half the load, 2nd set maybe ¾ and then for the last set do the full load. Is this to prevent injury? What is your take on this?
Thanks,
Paul
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Mountain Bike Strength Training, Rider Q & A
Q: Do you have any good advice for an on-going IT band issue that I can’t seem to resolve ? It just started last fall and I have a therapy routine per a knee specialist , so hopefully soon I will be pain free but I don’t want to be in this predicament again . Thanks for any advise you can pass down .
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Mountain Bike Injury Rehab, Rider Q & A
One of the guys on my Ultimate MTB Workout Program sent me these questions recently, I thought that they were great questions and that everyone would benefit from the answer.
Q: Compression clothing has gotten some media coverage lately. Dirt magazine even ran a small article of world cup dh riders using Skins compression clothing under their race kit. According to some (objective) study the company says that the use of their clothing accelerates blood flow, increases endurance and other things like that. Do you think there is any truth behind that or is it all marketing bollocks? I just bought a compression shirt that´s made by Adidas. I gotta say that it´s the most comfortable thing to wear.
A: Compression clothing certainly has some advantages. It helps blood flow and gives the muscles a slight bracing as well. While the effects may be a bit overblown, there are some potential performance advantages. However, finding something that won’t restrict your movement too much is key as we do more than just run in a straight line.
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I never ride clipless pedals and I think that they hold a lot of riders back. Here is my take on why I think that flats are a better option for most riders and why our sport should change its stance on which is better.
You can download the MP3 file and/ or subscribe to this podcast by visiting this link.
-James Wilson-
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Rider Q & A
This was a question I got regarding my recent blog post on the 1 2 3’s of nutrition…
Q: I regularly follow your blog, so I am grateful for the good input and ideas I get from the blog.
But now you say that I cant eat pasta? When I do eat pasta it is wholegrain pasta, is this also bad?
And in what way is a bad, if you could elaborate on this?
A: Thanks for the feedback, I’m glad you like the blog. If you are going to eat pasta then whole grain is the best way to go but even then it is very easy to consume too many calories in one sitting. Because it is calorie dense and nutrient poor it also usually takes the place of better choices such as fruits and vegetables which are much more nutritious. The other problem is that people tend to eat it for dinner which is the wrong time to eat a bunch of carbs. If you are going to eat pasta the best time is in the first half of the day, like an early lunch, and in the hour after training.
If you are happy with your current body composition levels then fine, but most people tend to carry a little extra around the middle and processed carbs are usually the number one thing keeping them from getting leaner. When I give advice it is usually from a general perspective and everything can be evaluated on a case by case basis.
BTW, you also need to check the fiber content on “whole grain” pasta. If it does not contain 3-5 grams per serving then it is not what you are looking for despite what the label says.
Hope this helps…
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Rider Q & A
